200 Former Rebels ( FR ) gathered inside a military camp

THATA ROXAS
Oct 27, 2015
3 min read

BURGOS Oroquieta City - A total of 200 Former Rebels ( FR ) gathered inside the camp of 55th Infantry Battalion of Philippine Army located at Burgos, Oroquieta City today ( October 27,2015.).

They joined the 2nd PEACE Provincial Assembly headed by its Regional Chairman Noel Dalagon with the support of 55th IB Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Vener MOrga.

PEACE is an organization which stands for Peoples Advocacy for Collaboration and Empowerment .It was organized with the full support of the military to help transforming the lives of the former rebels back into the mainstream of the society.

Most of the participants were coming from Molave Zamboanga del Sur, Tangub, Ozamiz, Oroquieta, Jimenez, Clarin, and other towns of Misamis Occidental and few from Zamboanga del Norte. The one day Provincial Assembly was graced by PCI Peter Ryan Revillas representative of the PNP Provincial Director, Sanivier Patoc DILG Assistant Provincial Director, Col. Cornelio Arboleda of the 101st Brigade, representatives from DENR, CDA and DA all of Misamis Occidental, who also served as the speakers during the assembly.

They shared about the ways and means on how to assist PEACE in their quest to access funds in order to finance whatever projects that could help their living.

In a press conference, Lt. Col. Morga shared that when he assumed office as Battalion Commander of the 55th IB he gladly knew about the organization of the former rebels, who were so open about their thrust and the need to strengthen their organization.

And with that, he commits himself to support PEACE in whatever way possible that the Battalion can.

“ Actually I was happy that when I assumed as Battalion Commander of 55th IB, because they were already organized so all I can do is to support them para makamit ang mga mithiin nila sa pagbalik loob nila sa gobyerno.” said Morga.

For his part Noel Dalagon, the Regional Chairman of PEACE said, that they need the full support of the military in order to fast track the processes in whatever projects that the group should undertake.

Dalagon stressed, that there was a great difference when they made a follow up in a government offices on their own and without the presence of the military because it would only end up nothing and mostly, they have not given due respect and attention.

“ Malaki ang maitulong ng mga sundalo samin dahil nong kami lang ang mag follow up sa office ng kunyari mayor o saan man, lagi lang kaming sabihan na ar wala pa si mayor, kundi, ay out of town si ganito. So parang walang halaga ang pagod naming wheres nung kasama na naming ang military, yon talagang bigyan kami ng halaga at atensiyon sa mga pina follow up naming.” quipped Dalagon.

While Col. Cornelio Arboleda the Executive Officer of 101st Brigade Philippine Army, based in Pinan, Zamboanga del Norte clarified, that the military is now on its massive campaign in calling all those still active in the rebel side, to go back to the hands of the law so that they could live a normal life.

According to Arboleda, the government is strengthening the implementation of the Comprehensive Local Integration Program ( CLIP) to help uplift the lives of those former rebels.

By then, the FR would be the mirror of those who are still active in the rebel service with the wrong ideology in mind.

“ We in the military are always open to all those active sa kabila, gamit ang maling paniniwala, na bumalik na sila sa goyerno upang mabigyan ng normal na buhay kasama ang kanilang pamilya. Sila poy matutulongan namin upang makamit ang minimithi nilang kaayosan sa pamumuhay nila.” shared Arboleda